June 15, 2026
When Karen McGlynn retired, she knew she wanted to stay active and give back to her community. What she didn’t know was that volunteering with Habitat for Humanity Hamilton would open the door to new skills, new friendships, and a meaningful way to help address the housing crisis in Hamilton.
Karen joined Habitat Hamilton in September 2024 after hearing about the organization from someone whose parents had volunteered with Habitat in the Waterloo region for many years. Since then, she’s accomplished much – logging hundreds of volunteer hours with Habitat Hamilton across various sites and roles.
“I was recently retired and looking to volunteer with a cause I could believe in,” Karen explains. “I decided to look into Habitat in Hamilton, as it was a cause I could get behind. I was also excited to learn new skills because I hadn’t done this type of work before.”
Karen quickly became a familiar face on Habitat’s CityHousing Hamilton renovation projects, helping transform vacant housing units into safe, welcoming homes for local families. While she had little construction experience when she started, that hasn’t stopped her from embracing every opportunity to learn.
“I like working on a variety of tasks,” she says. “I find it fun and interesting, and I love learning new skills.”
Among her favourite tasks are flooring and drywall work, but what Karen enjoys most is seeing the progress made throughout a project.
“There is a real sense of accomplishment in seeing the transformation of a house from the beginning to the end of the renovation.”
Karen brings years of experience working collaboratively with teams to meet goals and deadlines. Combined with her commitment to Habitat’s mission, willingness to learn, and dedication to quality work, those skills have made her a valuable member of the volunteer team.
Volunteering has also become an important part of her retirement.
“It has contributed significantly to my retirement,” Karen says. “It’s fun, it allows me to continue to learn, and it helps with the housing crisis by assisting in renovating city housing units to get them back on the market. I also get to meet and work with many interesting volunteers and great staff at Habitat.”
Looking ahead, Karen is eager to continue expanding her skills. She has recently completed crew leader training and is looking forward to supporting future corporate build days in a leadership role. She’s also excited about Habitat Hamilton’s upcoming Dawson project, which will provide even more opportunities to learn and contribute.
For anyone considering volunteering with Habitat for Humanity Hamilton, Karen’s advice is simple:
“It is fun, and you learn something every day. The Habitat staff are very patient and will teach you all the skills you need to do a good job. The other volunteers are great to work with too. It is great to see a project from start to finish and know you are helping to provide a partial solution to the housing crisis.”
Karen believes Habitat’s work is making a real difference in the community.
“By renovating city housing units and building new units at Dawson, Habitat is getting additional housing on the market and helping deal with the housing crisis.”
We’re incredibly grateful for volunteers like Karen, whose enthusiasm, dedication, and willingness to learn help make our work possible. Whether you’re an experienced tradesperson or someone looking to try something completely new, Habitat for Humanity Hamilton offers opportunities to build skills, build friendships, and help build a stronger community.
Interested in volunteering with Habitat for Humanity Hamilton? We’d love to hear from you.